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A digital audio output sends sound from a source device, such as a TV, game console, laptop or media player, to a receiving device as digital data. The receiver, which might be a soundbar, AV receiver or home theater system, then converts that data into sound. The term describes how audio is sent, not one specific connector. HDMI and S/PDIF are the common consumer paths, and S/PDIF itself travels over either an optical (TOSLINK) or a coaxial cable.
What “digital” means in a digital audio output
An analog output sends a continuously varying electrical signal. A digital output sends the audio as a stream of numbers. The source does not convert that stream to sound; the receiving equipment does. This is why a digital output is normally connected to a soundbar, AV receiver or home theater amplifier rather than directly to passive speakers.
Digital does not automatically mean better sound. Philips Support states that optical and coaxial digital connections both use the S/PDIF format to transmit digital audio information, and that for the use it describes their digital information is identical. The practical differences are the physical connector, cable length, and what each device is able to send and accept.
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Four labels cover most consumer digital audio outputs. Port names vary by manufacturer, so check the printed label beside the port and the manual for each device.
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| Connection | What the port looks like or is labeled | Cable needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI | Wide, trapezoid-shaped port labeled HDMI | HDMI cable | Carries video and audio on one cable. Which audio formats pass depends on both devices and the settings chosen. |
| Optical S/PDIF | Small square port, often labeled Optical, TOSLINK or Digital Audio | Optical (TOSLINK) cable | Carries S/PDIF as light pulses. Both ends must have an optical port. |
| Coaxial S/PDIF | Round connector, often labeled Digital Coaxial or S/PDIF | Coaxial cable with RCA-style plugs | Carries S/PDIF as an electrical signal. Carries the same digital information as optical for the use Philips describes. |
| Analog outputs | Red and white (or single 3.5 mm) jacks labeled Audio Out or Line Out | Analog audio cable | Not a digital output. Listed only to separate it from the digital options above. |
Connector and format are separate questions
A common source of confusion is treating the cable as if it decides the sound format. The connector only carries whatever the source sends. Two things determine the result: the signal mode the source is set to, and what the receiver can decode. Changing an optical cable to a coaxial cable does not change the format. Converting between connector types is also not the same as decoding a format.
PCM/LPCM versus bitstream
PCM or LPCM (uncompressed audio)
PCM (pulse-code modulation), often written as LPCM (linear PCM) on consumer equipment, is uncompressed digital audio. In the player example Philips documents for its audio-format guidance, PCM/LPCM mode means the source itself decodes the soundtrack and then sends the resulting uncompressed audio to the receiver. The receiver needs only to convert that stream. This mode is widely accepted, but it means the source, not the receiver, performs the decoding.
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Bitstream (encoded audio)
In bitstream mode, the source sends the encoded soundtrack as it was recorded, unchanged, and the receiver decodes it. Philips uses Dolby TrueHD as its example format. The receiver must support the same format, or no usable sound results. Philips also notes that a source’s capability can force it to decode to PCM even when bitstream is selected.
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Pass-through is the term for forwarding an encoded stream without decoding it. Microsoft’s S/PDIF documentation, dated 14 December 2021, explains that S/PDIF is defined primarily for PCM audio but can be adapted to carry non-PCM data. In pass-through, the connection moves that encoded data unchanged, and a compatible receiver performs the decoding. The GStreamer documentation describes the same arrangement for software playback, where the external audio system decodes the stream.
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- Multi-Point Connection: Optical to rca adapter supports uncompressed 2.1-channel PCM or LPCM digital audio signal output, will not supports 5.1 channel Dolby sound.
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Pass-through therefore does not mean the cable or port decodes sound. It means the decoding happens downstream.
Microsoft’s Windows Dolby decoder documentation lists PCM outputs, Dolby AC-3 formatted for S/PDIF, and Dolby Digital Plus formatted for HDMI as Windows output types. That list describes what Windows can send. It does not mean every S/PDIF or HDMI device accepts every listed format.
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How to set up a digital audio output
- Identify the digital output on the source device and the matching input on the receiver. Note the label on each port.
- Choose the connection that both ports support. If both have HDMI, use HDMI. If both have optical, use an optical cable. If both have coaxial, use a coaxial cable.
- Connect the cable firmly at both ends, then power on the receiver and select its matching input.
- On the source, open its sound or audio settings and look for an output option such as Digital Output, Optical, S/PDIF, or Audio Output. Setting names vary by manufacturer, so consult the manual for the exact path.
- If the source offers a PCM or LPCM option and a bitstream or passthrough option, start with PCM if you are unsure whether the receiver can decode compressed formats. Choose bitstream only when the receiver’s manual lists that format.
- Play a test source. If there is no sound, work through the troubleshooting checks below before changing cables.
Troubleshooting common problems
- No sound at all: Confirm the receiver is on the input you connected. Confirm the source’s digital output is enabled and not set to a different output device.
- Sound through the TV but not through the TV’s S/PDIF connector: Philips Support gives an example where a protected HDMI-connected source did not produce digital audio at the TV’s S/PDIF connector on the models it lists. This is model-specific guidance. Check the TV manual and its audio output settings rather than assuming the TV’s S/PDIF output works with every HDMI source.
- Crackling, silence or the wrong sound with a surround format: Switch the source from bitstream to PCM. If the receiver does not decode the chosen format, this change usually resolves the problem.
- Your ports do not match: A converter may be needed. An optical-to-coaxial or coaxial-to-optical converter changes the connector while keeping the S/PDIF signal. A digital-to-analog converter is needed only when the receiver has analog inputs only. Confirm the direction of conversion and the supported formats before buying.
When a digital output is the wrong choice
If the receiving equipment has only analog inputs and the source has only a digital output, a digital output alone will not produce sound through that equipment. Use a digital-to-analog converter, or choose a source with an analog output. The same applies to passive speakers, which need an amplifier between them and any digital source.
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- A digital audio output sends digital data. The receiver converts it to sound.
- HDMI and S/PDIF are the common consumer paths. S/PDIF uses optical or coaxial cable.
- PCM/LPCM is uncompressed audio decoded by the source. Bitstream is encoded audio decoded by the receiver.
- Connector, format and receiver capability are separate checks, and both devices’ manuals should confirm them.
Source notes: the connection labels and the optical and coaxial guidance come from Philips Support, “How do I output sound from my Philips TV to external audio devices such as Home Theaters, Soundbars, AV Receivers, etc.?” The PCM/LPCM and bitstream explanation comes from Philips’s audio-format guidance, published 1 March 2017. The pass-through description comes from Microsoft Learn, “S/PDIF Pass-Through Transmission of Non-PCM Streams,” dated 14 December 2021. Windows output types come from Microsoft Learn’s Dolby decoder documentation. Software pass-through behavior comes from the GStreamer documentation. Device behavior described here may differ on other models and firmware versions.
Quick Recap
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